The Rosary News - Our Lady`s Rosary Makers

The
Rosary News
Dear Rosary & Scapular Makers, Missionaries, Valued Supporters
& Friends
As we are well into embarking on year 57 of this ministry, the most
common concerns that face our ministry most likely resemble the
ones that our founders faced in 1957. Seeking out people to make
rosaries!
You who make the rosaries that we send to our ministry partners
are all called by God to be Christ to your brothers and sisters who
receive the fruits of your work. I haven’t met a single rosary or scapular maker yet that has felt anything but a sense of closeness and
calling from God. When making a rosary it is one of those, “yes, I
am doing what God wants me to do” moments that few can experience in their day to day lives with all of the distractions of this world.
Therefore, more than ever, we hope that you will continue to be a
light to others who you know to pick up a pair of pliers and join you
in one of the most rewarding “careers” you can participate in.
With Mother’s Day quickly approaching as I write and our minds and
hearts turned to our earthly mothers .. how appropriate to make an
appeal for us to invite and/or pray for more volunteers to fully experience the fulfillment that this ministry provides as a great Mother’s
day present to Mary.
On behalf of the board, we thank you for all your past efforts and
prayers that have sustained the ministry and welcome you to continue your steadfastness of prayer and works that will allow it to thrive
in the future!
Sincerely,
Tom Kneeshaw
email: tomk@vikingspas.com
phone 616-363-9094
May 2014
Founders: Stanislaus Despres
Lowell Vickery, 1957
Our Lady’s Errand Boy
Lowell Vickery
Officers
President
Tom Kneeshaw
Vice President
Bob Townshend
Secretary
Deborah L. Dine
Treasurer
Michael Despres
Chaplain
Deacon Peter Conigliaro
General Board
Erma Armock
Gayle M. Gardner
Linda Mankin
Frank Murphy
Carol Taylor
Christine Vanderwoude
Paul Vickery
"The faithful
children of the
rosary shall merit
a high degree of
glory in heaven"
From The Mission Fields
FINANCIAL REPORT-2013
BEGINNING BALANCE:
$3,859.50
DONATIONS
$8,708.00
PAID OUT IN SUPPLIES:
$9,379.84
BALANCE :
$3,187.46
Fr. Caesar from Uganda,
I extend my sincere thanks for the rosaries
send to me, by the help of Mr. Scott. This is to
inform you that I received them well, and now
back in Uganda. Thanks and praying for your
continuous support to the lovers of Jesus and
Mother Mary,
Yours Fr. Caesar, Uganda
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dear Tom,
Greetings of Easter Season,
I am writing to acknowledge the receipt of Rosaries, scapulars, and some pictures. I got
them on Friday 12, 2013 from the Post Office.
I am very grateful indeed.
I was not in the country since during the Holy
week up to April 11, 2013; for I had to Tanzania for Easter but now I am back to Nairobi, I
will get in touch with you.
I continue to wish you the blessing of Easter.
With regards,
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Ireneus Ntuula, AJ
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dear Tom
This I write just to inform you that our dear Sr.
Anne Grace A.C. took her flight to heaven just
this Tuesday and her funeral was on 1-5-2013
in the city of Madras, India. May her soul Rest
in Peace. She was ailing for a few days. Being a diabetic patient herself, her death came
all of a sudden. A couple of times she was
hospitalized and when everything was stabilized she was brought home. In fact I had visited her just a week ago and she had spoken to
me. I am so grateful to her because she is the
one who recommended me to you for rosaries.
During the homily of her funeral Mass the parish priest spoke about her rosary apostolate.
Lets pray for and to her now, who will intercede for us from heaven.
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Thank you and praying for you, and your
Apostolate,
With Kind Regards,
M. Sudha, A.C.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dear Tom,
Greetings from Papua New Guinea. May “Late
Lowell Vickery” rest in peace. I thank and
praise God for using him in a special way
since 1957. What God has started with him
will continue to give greater glory to God and
to serve its purpose here on earth. On behalf
of the people of Papua New Guinea especially
those who have used the rosaries sent to us, I
take this time to convey our deepest sorrow
and condolence message to his beloved family, friends and his team in the organization.
May his spirit of total commitment and dedication be your strength and courage to continue
on with the mission. Special prayers and
thoughts for his soul and for you all. May
Mary, our Mother embrace him into heaven
with a smile. Amen!
Tom, could you and your team please continue to send us the lovely rosaries.
United in Mercy, love and Peace,
Sr. Maryanne Kolkia rsm
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dear Respected,
Greetings to you from Fr. Joji Reddy, How r u
and how is life? We are happy to receive a
beautiful rosaries. Indeed, we could do only
pray for your mission wellbeing. Our people
really thanked for the rosaries and now on we
want to start Marian group in our parish. Pray
for the each family by taking our Lady’s Statue
to home. We promise our prayers to you all for
making a blessed rosaries. We expect still
more because we have distributed to neighboring parishes too. They are happy to receive
them. Thank you so much.
Fr. Joji Reddy
Infant Jesus Church
Maddikera Kurnool (dt)
A.P. India
From The Mission Fields
Bro. Tom Kneeshaw
Our Lady's Rosary Makers of Grand Rapids,
Michigan
4670 Plateau View Dr. NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525 USA
Dear Bro. Tom,
The Lord give you Peace and Blessings!
We wish you all in your community of Our
Lady's Rosary Makers all that is good and well
being together with your family. We thank you
also for all the rosaries you sent us in the past
when I was still assigned in Bataan.
I am writing this letter to humbly inform you that
as of now I do my mission here in Nancapian,
Malasiqui, Pangasinan. As short information
Archbishop Socrates Villegas invited our
community in Bataan to found a new monastery
here in his archdiocese to serve as Powerhouse
of Prayer last year. In fact we celebrated our
first year anniversary of foundation last January
21, 2013.
Since I am here now in a new mission place,
may I humbly request for Rosaries we could
share with the People of God that may come to
us. It is a privilege for us to promote devotion to
Mary by praying the Holy Rosary. We believe
this will help a lot in our mission to sanctify the
people through the powerful intercession of our
Blessed Mother Mary.
We hope and pray our will heed our humble
appeal. May God bless and reward you all and
bless your endeavors with Holy success and
fruits.
With love and trust in Jesus, Mary, Joseph, St.
Francis & St. Clare,
Sr. Ma. Aurora Quizon, OSC, Servant Lead
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dear Mr. Despres:
I enclose a check paid to Our Lady’s Rosary
Makers in memory of Lowell Vickery. Please
send a confirmation to his son, David Vickery.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A picture of some residents in Kampala,
Uganda receiving some of the rosaries Our
Lady’s Rosary Makers has made and sent to
them through Fr. Caesar.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To help you to continue, my friend, Lowell—the
mission he so loved.
Thank you.
Mary Jeseocok
Picture of Fr. Caesar, from Uganda and Fr.
Geoffrey from Kenya, visiting Tom Kneeshaw at
his home with his wife and one of his children
the weekend of June 15 2013. Father said mass
and visited with some members of Our Lady’s
Rosary Makers board members and others on
his trip to Michigan.
Rosemary Frey
3
From the Mission fields
Dear Rosary Makers:
Greetings and all good things to you!
It has been with great joy and thankfulness
that I was privileged a few weeks ago, to
again pick up a parcel at the post office with
your precious rosaries and other religious articles.
Our Parish, being squeezed between Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola in the
North Western corner of Zambian gets frequently visitors from both these neighboring
countries. One thing they are always eagerly
looking for are the rosaries, not just for themselves, but they would like to carry as many
as possible for their family and friends at
home. Of course we have to ration the number, otherwise nothing would be left over to
respond to the demands of our own 22 Outstations.
Your apostolate, therefore, is a wonderful one
and, just through our Parish, you facilitate the
rosary being said in at least 6 different languages: English, Lunda, French, Swahili, Portuguese and Luvale.
Thank you so much and may God give you
abundant blessings and the strength never to
become tired.
God bless!
Yours sincerely
Fr. Werner Iten
Mwinilunga/Zambia
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dear Thomas Kneeshaw,
Best wishes and regards to you. Hope all is
fine.
Just a quick note to thank you for the rosaries
and other religious articles you sent me.
Our parish is located in an area dominated by
Muslims. We can guard our young ones from
being converted to Islam by making them put
on rosary and pray it daily for the protection of
blessed Virgin Mary.
Please may you send us more of the rosaries
and religious articles as many as you can and
we give them to our Christians as an identity
mark of our religion especially for the children
right from after receiving First Holy Communion.
I promise you my daily prayers.
Yours in Christ
Fr. William Abukua
Parish Priest
Lima Catholic Parish
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
In memory of Lowell Vickery from Paul & Helen Walsh– Paul was his mail carrier in East
Grand Rapids. We enjoyed his “visits” at our
home.
May He Rest in peace!
Helen Walsh
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dear tom,
Thank you ever so much for your prompt action . I already started distributing the Rosary
for the pilgrims .It seems their journey on foot
for 7days . I was surprised to hear that . They
put on that period of fast and penance a kind
of color dress which indicates their austerity
of life in view of this special pilgrimage .
My special prayer is always you all who have
undertaken this Apostolate which very, very
important to make people pray . Now I have
even more reason to recommend to them to
pray the Rosary .
Once again my thanks and prayers . May our
good Lord and God bless you all today and
always.
Yours Sincerely,
M. Sudha.A.C.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hello, Mr. KneeshawI am writing on behalf of the National Shrine
of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg,
MD. The Shrine recently acquired several
hundred rosaries from your affiliate in Lansing, MI to distribute to service men and women on October 6. On that date the Shrine will
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From the Mission fields
Be celebrating its annual Sea Services Pilgrimage, invoking the intercession of St. Elizabeth Ann, patroness of the Sea Services, for
all those who serve in the Navy, Marines,
Coast Guard and Merchant Marine.
The Shrine would like to include in its next
newsletter an article about the work of your
beautiful apostolate. Would you have time to
speak with me on the phone some time this
week so that I may learn about your organization? If you let me know what time would be
most convenient for you I will call you then.
I congratulate all the members of your group for
doing such a noble work, not counting the cost.
Our Mother with her son Jesus will surely bless
each one of you and your families. Thank you
for the rather big crucifix enclosed. I handed it
over to a sister to be given to a family in their
mission station. Thanks for the lovely pictures
and small rosaries with St. Anthony's pictures.
God has taken into account everything. You
and your families are in my prayers.
In my own family we are 8 children - 3 girls are
religious and all others are married. There is no
love among the children of the 3 married sister's children and 2 married brother's children.
God bless you.
Once in a while remember them in your prayers. I have already written that I am 82. I will
Suzan Sammons
make arrangements with one of the sisters to
inform you when I am no more so that you re++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ member me in your prayers. The feast of our
Lady of the Rosary is on the 7th of October and
My dear friends of the Lady of the Rosary
I will remember all of you in a special way in my
prayers. Please remember me to Jesus once in
When the month of July ended I was wonder- a while.
ing whether you have forgotten me. My how
With my love, thanks and the assurance of my
by the third week of August, much awaited box prayers.
of rosary and other holy articles arrived. Thank
you very much. I have already started distrib- Yours gratefully in our Mother
uting them. Rosary is a strong instrument in
our hands to draw down blessings from heav- M. Annunciate
en through the intercession of our mother. I
am happy to tell you that I see the rosary roux ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dear Fr Tom, I have received some 60 Holy
the neck of many people, men, women and
Rosaries from the Rosary Makers of St Monchildren.
ica this afternoon together with some Christian
I wonder whether you know that the people of leave-less and an audio cassette of the Triumph of the Cross; a music for Easter. I am so
Karmataka state specially Christians suffered
delighted that I got them this October, the
much during the rule of BJP. They had their
Month of the Holy Rosary. I shall distribute
assembly elections in May. All were praying.
In our convent, daily , a few of us were praying them to people who do not have them this
the rosary. St. Bernard's prayer to our mother, evening during the Rosary prayers.
In the mean time accept these few words of
prayer to archangel Michael and the mercy
rosary. BJP was thoroughly defeated and con- my deep appreciation to you and the work that
you and your team are doing. may the Good
gress came to power. They got more than
Lord continue to bless your effort.
enough of seats to rule the state without joining any other party. In July, we had byeelections for 5 seats and congress got 4 seats Fr Christopher Beyuo, Sacred Heart Parish
and an independent got one seat. There also
Tamale, northern Region Ghana, West Africa
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our mother helped us.
From the Mission fields
Dear Tom,
X-mas is fast approaching and so here I am to
remind you to send some more rosaries to give
our poor Catholic people as gift at Christmas
time . Only if you have and if so, think of us also , Tom . Needless to say that you are supported by our prayers . Even without the prayer of
any body, our M. Mary will uphold you all on her
own accord , seeing such good work being done
by you all. Don't you think so ? This month being
the month dedicated to Rosary , our Parish
Priest seems to so earnest in spreading the devotion to Mother Mary and Rosary and your supply becomes very handy for these needy people . thanks Tom and may our Good Lord and
God along with our Mother Mary bless you and
all those people who are engaged in this important job.
Once again with thanks and prayers ,
M . Sudha .A.C.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dear Tom & Our Lady’s Rosary makers,
I would like to express my deep gratitude and
thanks for the lovely, beautiful rosaries you so
kindly send us. I am very happy and grateful
for this marvelous and precious gift and I
praise and thank God for this singular favour! I
find no words to express my gratitude
adequately for our kindness and concern. May
the good God bless and reward you a million
fold! Be sure, our prayers will follow you
always for the success of your praiseworthy
work! I get the rosaries in time for the Feast of
Our Blessed Mother’s birthday and she will
bless you and reward you from heaven. She
will be looking at you from heaven and will
shower on you all her motherly blessing!
Indeed you are making a great sacrifice to
prepare the rosaries and to parcel it to us to
honor our Blessed Mother. Please convey our
thanks to these ladies and gentlemen who
work zealously to prepare the rosaries, I wish
you every success in your marvelous works!
May our dear Lord and His Blessed Mother
bless you all with good health and long life and
every blessings you need to go forward with
your work for the glory of God!
Before I halt once again my grateful thanks
for your generosity and love. May God bless
you and your dear family and may Our
Blessed Mother protect you and keep you
under her mantle!
Love and prayers to all of you!
Yours ever gratefully in Jesus and Mary,
Sr. M. Beatrice, Bridgettine Convent
Kerala State India
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dear Tom ,
Gratitude is the language of the heart . I do
not know how to express my gratitude and appreciation to all those who are involved in getting ready these strong and beautiful rosaries
to be used by any one at any part of the
world , our God given land .
When I went through your ROSARY NEWS I
am urged to pray even more for each of you
who is engaged in this great mission . My Mission is in a rural area where we have scattered Catholic families far and near . They are
recent converts and I distributed your lovely
Rosaries after Sunday Mass, in the Parish itself and they were on great demand .I got a
hundred and fifty of them and it was tampered . This didn't disturb me rather I was
consoled thinking that there are people who
appreciate these Rosaries and want to pray
and that 's why they have taken them if they
took at all . It came in just two weeks ago
when I was busy here . When X-Mas passed
by, I had given up hope and there it comes
during 2nd wk of January .Our people are
very , very poor . Always wait on us to help
them out . Tom , I tell you God will see that
this Mission of yours be carried out in a wonderful way . We will pray for that . O. K ?
By the way , my name is spelt wrongly on the
Packet . All the same it reached me . Thank
God ! My name SR.MARY SUDHA.A.C. AND
NOT Sr. Serdha.A.C.Thanks once again and
6 a big God Bless.
From the Mission fields
distribute it to our hostel inmates and students. Here the non-Catholics too have devotion to Our Lady and they asked for rosaries. They recite rosary together with catholic
students. I am sure Our Lady will be highly
pleased with your wonderful works and do
great things on your behalf. You will have to
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ make lot of sacrifices and go through many
inconveniences to fulfill this work. All the reDear Rosary Makers,
cipients join me to thank you for this great
Greetings and all good things to you!
gift and they appreciate your love and conI acknowledge with great gratitude receipt of
your parcel with the precious rosaries sent on cern you have for us.
May God bless you each and every one of
August 9th this year. It’s a timely arrival with
you with good health and long life to continthe rosary month of October right around the
ue your wonderful work. May Our Blessed
corner. It will help us to motivate and
Mother keep you and protect you under her
encourage the people to a more diligent and
mantle. Much love and God bless.
regular attitude towards praying the Rosary.
Yours ever gratefully,
Needless to say that there are never enough
Sr. M. Beatrice
rosaries to satisfy the demands of all our
Kerala, India
faithful near and far, so we hope and pray to
remain one of your clients addresses also in
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
future.
Continuously praying for you and your team
that the good Lord and His Mother Mary may
We wish to recognize
bless you abundantly for your precious work, I
our new rosary makers:
send my heartfelt thanks and regards.
Yours sincerely,
Fr. Werner Iten
Dr. Sheryl Ureta
Zambia/Africa
Ronnie Sunberg
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Michelle Fisher
Dear President Tom and the Rosary Maker
Barbara Rohen
friends,
My most sincere and grateful thanks for the
Tarra Yott
lovely rosaries, the beautiful statue of Our
Cynthia Hulst
Lady and the medal of Our Lady with cords. I
Janice Brechting
find no words to express my gratitude
adequately for all your kindness and concern
Welcome!!!!
you have for us. May God bless and reward
you and the recipients will always remember
you with grateful hearts and pray for all your
intentions and needs.
Dear Br. Tom and the Rosary Maker Friends,
Our Lady will bless and reward you for the
wonderful and praiseworthy work you are
doing to spread the devotion to our Blessed
Mother. The parcel arrived in time and I could
With a grateful heart .
M.SUDHA.A.C.
PS. Dear Tom, Kindly let me know whether
you received this mail or not so that I don't
have to send you again by post . O.K ?.
Thanks
7
From the Mission fields
Dear Tom and friends. Greetings from Sr. Saleena Thottam, Kerala-India
With heart-filled joy and gratitude I write thse
few lines to tell you that how much it meant to
us the beautiful rosaries. Thank you so much.
For me it is the first time I am writing for the
rosaries seeing the faith of the Fisher folks.
Even they hang the rosaries in their fishing
instruments. I was taken up so much with
their faith. Whenever I go for the visit they ask
nothing but rosaries. I was helpless to provide
them rosaries. In such moments I got your
address and with much faith I wrote you.
Thank God for the surprise. Even the high
school boys who were little ashamed to wear
the rosary outside they too fell in love with
this Rosary, especially the Cross. They all
demanded, for it. One day I conducted competitions and I gave to the winners. Since I
couldn't provide for all. Since we work in the
area where only Catholics are present. I just
waited for that event to distribute the Rosary I
thought of sending the letter and photos together that is why I was bit late. Forgive me
please. I will send the letter by post. Since it
Be late I thought of writing you by mail. Special thanks for the beautiful special cross. And
the rosaries are attractive and beautiful. I
highly appreciate your patient work to make
the rosaries and bearing the expenses to
make and dispatch it. Our prayers are with
you. Kindly accept our thanks and gratitude.
Please convey this to all who worked for it.
We offer one mass for you and also all to
whom I gave the Rosary I asked to pray at
least one rosary for you.. I believe they will do
it.
Thanking you once again for the beautiful and
surprising gift, I remain.
Faithfully yours
Sr. Saleena Thottam DC
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
We wish to share the joyous news that one
of our board members, Gayle Lewis, was
married to Mr. Donald Gardner on April 26,
2014! We wish to extend our best wishes to
the newlyweds blessing them with many
years together!
Congratulations Gayle & Don!
Please remember if a loved one has
passed away and you would like to
remember them in a special way,
consider a donation in their memory to
Our Lady’s Rosary Makers. We will
include your loved one in our next
newsletter, remembering them as we
pray our rosaries. All donations are tax
deductible.
You may send your remembrance
donation to:
Mr. Michael Despres
Treasurer
Our Lady’s Rosary Makers
4983 Brownstone Dr. N.E.
Rockford, MI 49341
8
From the Mission fields
Dear Tom,
This afternoon I received your rosary packet .
This time it was intact and I already gave away
some of them this evening when I went for
substation visit cum Holy Eucharist by our Parish Priest who gifted them also a big statue of
our Mother Mary while I gave these Rosaries
to them . They are to take this statue of our
Mother Mary from house to house daily praying the Rosary . So, thanks a lot , Tom . Mine
and their special prayers for you all .
lovingly yours in Christ ,
M. Sudha, A.C.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dear Tom,
Thank you so much for your fast reply, also
thank you for adding us to the wonderful ministry. I am sure it will be a great service to the
people whom we serve. Because they have
very strong faith in Christ and the church activities. And people will keep it very holy and will
use it with much respect and devotion. I am
sending this by mail because the Post office is
very far from here. Where I am residing is a
village. We have no public transportation we
do not own any private vehicle too. So we
have to walk 5 km to reach to the post office.
So we do not go often out. So incase of little
delay forgive me. Other wise is it ok for you to
send the recipients letter by mail? Kindly reply
me. Here I have added the photos of blessing
the Rosary by Parish Priest and distributing to
the people by sisters.
Praying for you and your intention
Sr.Saleena Thotta DC
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Our Lady’s Rosary Makers
Of Grand Rapids, Michigan
Postage
4670 Plateau View Dr NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525
http://www.ourladysrosarymakers.com
Month of May
Rosary Prayer
O God, whose only-begotten Son, by His life, death and resurrection, has purchased for
us the rewards of eternal life; grant, we beseech Thee, that meditating upon these
mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may learn to imitate
what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This simple and profound prayer, the Rosary, teaches us to make Christ the principle
and end, not only of Marian devotions, but of our entire life. - Pope Paul VI
The Rosary . . .Is a form of union with God and has a most uplifting effect on the soul.
- Pope John XXIII
Place your confidence in the Holy Rosary. Use this most powerful form of prayer with
the utmost possible zeal, and let it become more and more esteemed.—Pope Pius XII
The Rosary is also a powerful incentive and encouragement to the practice of Christian
virtues, and these it develops and cultivates in our souls. Above all, it preserves and
nourishes our Catholic faith. - Pius XI
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